Cloning

Abstract

Dolly the sheep was born in 1996, and from this point onward the cloning of a human for reproduction has been perceived as the eventuality (Choi, 2010). However Dolly the sheep and other cloned animals have suffered health problems (Talwar, 2004). Human cloning has proven to be even more difficult than the cloning of other mammals. The word Clone comes from the Greek for twig or slip, which refers to the asexual reproduction of plants (Palermo & Takeuchi, 2004).

The method first utilized to clone involved the splitting of an embryo, which was completed by dividing an embryo into two, generating limited copies of the original (Palermo & Takeuchi, 2004). After this point cloning methods primarily involve nuclear transplantation. Clones are created this way by replacing an egg's nucleus with that from another specimen. Human embryos have been cloned, however, most do not survive past the early stages of cellular development. Scientists have only been able to successfully generate clusters of cells known as morulas (Nordgren, 2006). The nucleus transfer during cell division may disrupt proper chromosomal alignment.

Due to the difficulty of cloning in general, some opponents of cloning have argued that any attempt to create a child by cloning would risk birth defects or genetic abnormalities (Lane, 2006). Because of this, opponents consider cloning immoral. Other arguments center around informed consent of the future child. However one cannot give consent to be born, as those arguing for this viewpoint understand.

One argument that is related to ideas of pre-conception is known as the waiting-in-the-wings view (WIW). According to this view, even before an individual is born she is waiting to be conceived and enter the world. This perception is not unlike an actor who is waiting for their entrance to the stage (Lane, 2006). This same argument is utilized by some conservative Christians who are opponents against abortion.

These arguments are broken down by two concepts: the Same People Choice, and the Same Number Choice (Lane, 2006). The first choice refers to one that leads to the exact same people alive no matter the decision's outcome. For example, if a pregnant woman decides to walk every day for the rest of her pregnancy, it will affect her health but not whether her baby lives or dies.

The latter choice refers to a decision between two options that results in the same number of people born, but those people are not identical due to the difference in choice. An example of this would be if a woman chose to conceive naturally or through in vitro fertilization (IVF). Although the same number of children were conceived, they would be genetically distinct. Following the logic of WIW, any child conceived, even one brought into the world via somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), or reproductive cloning, would represent a Same People Choice (Lane, 2006).

Others argue that cloning and regenerative medicine represent a quest for immortality that violates